Structure and organization in home school environments should be no different than the structure and organization of a regular classroom. Many well-concerned parents who have chosen to home- school their children tend to think that structure and organization aren’t that big of a deal when it comes to properly educating their children. However, good organization and structure become that much more important due to the multitude of distractions happening in most home environments.
Good home school structure includes:
- A Schedule
- A curriculum
- Routines
- Transitions
- Breaks
- Proper study resources & equipment
- Seat work
- Designated Study areas
- Storage compartments for school supplies
- Discipline
The above elements of good structure must be implemented right away. Otherwise, you will be placing your child’s education and future in jeopardy. Effectively educating a child demands a massive academic plan as well as the energy and knowledge to execute such plan.
Moreover, you will face disappointment and frustration when the home school environment isn’t organized. For example, if you don’t have a daily schedule to follow, you will not be able to give your child the daily amount of instruction time required for various subjects, including math and English.
When it comes to testing, imagine looking for those important quarterly assessment tests without a clue where you placed them last. And wonder if the deadline is approaching for you to submit them to the school district or superintendent office.
Furthermore, without a daily schedule with times for breaks and transitions, you could wear out the mind of your child and leave them with an unfavorable home- school experience. As a result, the child may lose motivation.
Because it creates clarity and productivity, a well-organized home school environment will make a significant difference in the child’s life
Consider these Important Points
1st Important Point
Now it should be obvious to you why structure and organization are vital to the success of your child as well as yourself as a home school teacher. Therefore, your first priority should be to create a schedule for the entire home school year, the same activity which regular school teachers traditionally perform.
If you are not sure how to make a schedule, check out some of the online teacher resource websites such as Free Teacher Resources or Teacher Classroom Resources. Join groups such as Teacher – Teachers.com for quality classroom resources for as little as $5.
If you desire to be an effective and well-organized home school teacher, the information is at your fingertips. Check out case studies of others who have worked in the home- schooling business. Discover how they stay organized and undistracted by the home environment.
2nd Important point
Make sure you have a curriculum that correlates with the academic expectation of your chosen school district. They would have given you a document of these expectations upon their approval of your home school venture.
Research and select a quality curriculum. Don’t purchase inadequate books and materials and attempt to teach the content to your child. All other things aside, the results of the child’s assessment tests will mirror the quality of the curriculum you have chosen.
3rd important Point
Overzealous home school parents must realize what a child is not a robot. He, she or they need breaks from seat work and regular routines. They need to go outside, they need to stretch, and they need a little entertainment in their lives instead of constantly doing academic work.
Many public schools have frequent brain breaks in which students can move around the room, visit briefly, or listen to music and dance. Go Noodle is a popular dance break video for children to unwind for 10 to 15 minutes.
[ad name=”HTML”]4th Important Point
Keep all supplies, materials, worksheets, books, tests, manipulatives, and equipment in absolute order if you desire to find important information when needed. Nothing is more frustrating and disruptive to a school day than a teacher’s inability to find important classroom materials and supplies.
Children act out more dramatically when they discover that the teacher is walking around the class unorganized and confused as to what the next lesson is going to be.
5th Important Point
Parents should know very well that children must be disciplined when it comes to doing seat work and playing with Nintendo games. Even though a child is at home, he must understand that there is a certain part of the day that such home-based, recreational activities are off-limits.
You must set-up a discipline plan and practice consistency in giving out rewards and punishments through –out the day. As evidence shows, a home- schooled child is more likely to be pulled in by distractions due to the familiarity of the environment and the person he or she calls “mom” or “dad.”
Organization and structure in a home school must become a constant priority if you desire to effectively provide a top notch education for your child. The rewards will be greater clarity and focus, greater productivity and greater academic growth.
